Sr. Bernarda Gallinger, OSE

God, to whom she pledged her life in complete trust, called Sister Bernarda to her heavenly home on the eve of Easter Sunday, April 4, 2015.  Anne Gallinger was born in Macklin, SK on October 28, 1922, daughter of Joseph and Pauline (Hollman) Gallinger.  She lived and worked with her family on a farm near Macklin and attended grade school in the town of Macklin.  Anne followed her older sister, Sr. Aloysia to join the Sisters of St. Elizabeth in Humboldt, SK on Sept. 25, 1941 where she received the name Sr. Bernarda when she entered the novitiate in 1942.  She pronounced her religious vows on May 16, 1944 and celebrated her 70th anniversary of religious profession in 2014.  In the community, Sr. Bernarda served for 10 years as a baker and cook at St. Elizabeth Convent and at Mount St. Francis Retreat in Cochrane, AB.  For the next 20 years she worked in the business offices of St. Michael’s Hospital in Cudworth and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Humboldt before becoming CEO of St. Elizabeth Hospital from 1976 - 1990.  While at St. Elizabeth Hospital her outreach extended beyond the hospital to the wider community in Humboldt.  In 1979, she was one of the founding members of the Carlton Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council in Humboldt.  She continued her professional development and took great care to offer the highest quality service in all departments of the hospital.  She also served her religious community as local superior, general councillor, general secretary and superior general.  Since 2009, Sr. Bernarda was not in good health resulting in confinement to a wheelchair.  The staff of St. Elizabeth Convent Infirmary cared for her until her move to St. Joseph Home in Saskatoon and eventually to Samaritan Place in Saskatoon.  The Sisters remember Sr. Bernarda as a fun loving, happy person, always ready to pitch in to make things happen.  Her welcoming smile put everyone at ease.  She continued to offer her services in cooking and baking for community celebrations as well as for the Hospital Ladies Auxiliary.  She loved crocheting, knitting and other handwork and playing cards which was something she was about to do moments before her death.  Sr. Bernarda is lovingly remembered by her sisters in community and her many nieces and nephews.  Her parents, Joseph and Pauline Gallinger, and her brothers and sisters: Adolph, Peter, Sr. Aloysia, Edith and Bill Moore, Sr. Julianne, and George and Mathilde Gallinger, and four siblings who died in infancy, all predecease her.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Philip Neri Roman Catholic Church (1902 Munroe Ave, Saskatoon).  Rite of Committal will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Sisters of St. Elizabeth Cemetery, Humboldt.  Arrangements in care of John Schachtel - MOURNING GLORY FUNERAL SERVICES (306-978-5200)